Exit Interviews, Workshops, Emergency Assistance: More Psychological Help in Schools
The additional measures for mental health in schools, announced by the federal government following the shooting spree at BORG Dreierschützengasse in Graz, were approved by the Council of Ministers on Wednesday.
Government Responds to Graz Shooting with Expansion of School Psychology
According to Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr (NEOS), the plan includes an expansion of prevention programs, more staff in school psychology and school social work, as well as mandatory "exit interviews" when children or adolescents are at risk of dropping out of school.
The package is not a direct response to the bloodshed at the Graz high school. As Wiederkehr explained in the press foyer after the government meeting, mental health has already been a high priority in the government program. The events in Graz were then a confirmation that quick action was necessary.
Workshops on Mental Health and Mandatory "Exit Interviews"
Specifically, starting next year, in addition to the existing workshops on extremism prevention, there will also be dedicated offerings for "Psychosocial Support and Mental Health" in schools. The funds for external workshops are to be doubled to four million euros per year, and schools will also be offered counseling services. The workshops are also to be implemented in labor market policy offerings for young people.
Additionally, there will be mandatory "exit interviews" for students and parents to prevent early school absenteeism and dropout. For this purpose, the various existing formats of discussions between teaching staff and parents are to be further developed. The goal is to best accompany the educational path in collaboration with suitable support systems such as youth coaching from the Ministry of Social Affairs or the AMS, and on the other hand, to identify "psychosocial risk factors" and initiate further steps.
Doubling of School Psychology Positions Announced
In school psychology, Wiederkehr announces an approximate doubling of the current nearly 190 positions. Over the course of the coming school year, 70 positions are to be added, and another 70 in 2026/27. Additionally, starting in the fall, there will be federal positions for school social work at AHS and vocational middle and higher schools (BMHS) for the first time. In the 2025/26 school year, there will be 30, and another 35 in the following school year.
The Minister of Education sees the plan as ambitious but feasible. Wiederkehr denied that even the current psychologist positions could not be filled. Only a few positions are open. Efforts will now also be made to make the jobs more attractive. Furthermore, it will also be possible to employ individuals who do not yet have clinical training and allow them to complete it as part of their work. The targeted use of other professional groups such as psychotherapists in multi-professional teams at schools is also being considered.
More Staff for Emergency Assistance and Prevention
The additional staff is intended to enable more intensive support for schools with their nearly 1.2 million children and adolescents, for example in crisis and emergency situations, in the creation and application of crisis plans, and in prevention work.
In the planned suspension support, school psychology and school social work are to assist in the reintegration of children and adolescents into the school system after they have been temporarily excluded from classes, for example due to violence.
Youth Minister Claudia Plakolm (ÖVP) and Social Minister Korinna Schumann (SPÖ) appealed to young people to seek help if they have mental health issues. "You definitely don't have to deal with it alone if you're feeling bad," emphasized Plakolm. Schumann promoted youth coaching. According to her, plans to impose restrictions here due to budget constraints have been discarded. There is to be a special focus on urban areas.
(APA/Red)
This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.